Thursday, December 16, 2010

naughty or nice??

ok, let's talk three year olds. i had a three year old once, who was lucky to survive her third year. she was such a trial to her mother, that, i am not ashamed to admit it, she literally brought me to tears on more than one occasion. yes, she was stubborn and strong-willed and already, in her third year of life, was sure she knew more than me.

now there is another three year old in my life- the first one's son, who makes his mom seem like a meek and mild piece of cake! if she was able to bring me to tears, he will most assuredly cause my undoing by a) leading me to drink excessively b) causing me to repeatedly bang my head against a brick wall until i am senseless c) cause me to run away and join the foreign legion or d) all of the above.

t.willie is stubborn, strong-willed, ABSOLUTELY sure he knows more than me, full of cocky attitude, mean, insolent, determined, and obstinate. he talks back, he is mean to his pets, kicks his teacher and pokes his classmates in their eyes. he daily tells one of us to "shut up" and, just yesterday, told me "i don't want to and i don't care!" he exasperates me on a daily basis and will not listen to me when i am telling him to do (or NOT to do) something.

yes! all of this is true! but the thing is, he can also be the opposite of all those things. at times, he is sweet, loving, funny, helpful, compliant and fun. he will ask to help me wash dishes, will beg his pop to help work in the yard, will listen intently when you explain how something works and will kiss and hug his pets...when he feels like it. he is intelligent, inquisitive, witty, clever and the best hugger around. he is like a celebrity at our local wal-mart because none of the checkers have ever seen him being other than happy and smiling and friendly.

so, how can one small boy be all these things? i'm sure i don't know but santa is going to be hard-pressed to decide between coal or toys. i can just see him, standing in front of the tree on christmas eve, scratching his head in indecision. "hmm", he'll say, "naughty? nice? naughty? nice?" and then he'll just flip a coin and see where it lands. i sure don't envy the guy!

grateful:1. that three year olds eventually become four year olds2. that stubbornness and determination can be attributes later on3. that santa has to make the tough decision and not me!

A friend of mine uses the Elf of The Shelf (have you heard of it? Its a toy elf that comes with a story book....makes the kids think the elf is keeping tabs on their behavior and relaying to Santa). Can't say it works outside the Xmas season, or past Kindergarden, but it sounds like you wouldn't mind employing some creative new tactics!

About Me

i live in a small town, in a small house that seems to be falling down around me and my family. a four year old grandson,a basset hound and two cats add to the chaos that is my life. i do try to embrace it and to remember that there are folks far worse off than me. i have been wanting to start a gratitude journal for a while now,so i am going to list three things every day for which i am grateful.